In Sermons: showing 1-14 of 14

What Can We Offer?

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 5, 2010

What can we offer to God

I’m not allowed to eat at Mc Donald’s, except on very special occasions, once a year. When you go into McDonald’s you usually find that those who serve behind the counter are spotty kids who can only just bring themselves to mumble words asking you what you want. But they always manage to ask if ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:38-44

Denomination: Methodist

It’s Not The End

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 5, 2010

Advent Hope

When I was a lot younger I used to be really into the James Bond films. I can’t stand them now. From Dr no in 1962 with Sean Connery, to OHMS in 1969 with George Lazenby; to Live and Let Die in 1973 with Roger Moore, The Living Daylights in 1987 with Timothy Dalton; to Golden Eye in 1995 with ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

The Word Made Flesh

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 5, 2010

A reflection on God pitching his tent in our neighbourhood

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. If you read the ‘Message’ translation of John 1:14 it says ‘The word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood’. And another version reads ‘The word became flesh and pitched his tent among us.’ I like those two translations of that ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Denomination: Methodist

Gifts

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 5, 2010

A sermon based on 1 Corinthians 12 about various gifts to offer to the mission of the church

Leslie Griffiths, the well known Methodist minister and former President of Conference, tells of the time when he was invited to Easter People where thousands of people of all ages used to gather at a seaside resort for a Christian festival of worship, seminars, fellowship and fun. He was ushered ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:1-11

Denomination: Methodist

Offer Yourself

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 5, 2010

A sermon preached at a Methodist Covenant Service

I have a great admiration for the commitment of those people who spend hours and hours, months, years even, trying to develop things, trying to invent new things. Some are more successful than others of course. One man called Arthur Pedrick patented 162 inventions between 1962 and 1977. None of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

What Kind Of Gospel

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 5, 2010

A sermon based on the manifesto of Jesus from Luke Chapter 4

A minister managed to run out of fuel in his car just 100 metres from a petrol station. He looked in the boot only to realise that he’d left the petrol can at home. All he could find was his baby’s potty. So he took it, walked the 100 metres to the garage, filled it with petrol and returned to the ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

This Is My Son

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 3, 2008

A sermon for a Covenant Servie based on the baptism of Jesus

The gospel reading for today is the baptism of Jesus. We are only given a brief account of what happened in the passage we heard from Matthew’s gospel so we have to try to imagine the scene. I doubt though if it even began to approach the woman in Liverpool who arrived on the doorstep of a vicar, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17

Denomination: Methodist

The Journey Of Faith

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 3, 2008

A sermon for Covenant Sunday based on the visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus

In a carol service ta one of my previous churches, one of the congregation was taking part in a dramatic reading of the visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus. And the dreaded happened. When it came to the line ’and I bring frankincense’ it came out as ’and I brought Frankenstein’. I had read ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

Most Highly Favoured Lady

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 3, 2008

A sermon considering the role and place of Mary in the birth of Jesus

Do you ever get sick and fed up of all those Christmas songs? I googled ’songs for Christmas’ and it gave me millions of possible places to go. All the old favourites were there – Christmas carols old and new; Christmas songs (Frosty the snowman, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, all I want for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Denomination: Methodist

The Ancestors Of Jesus

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 3, 2008

A sermon based on Matthew’s account of the genealogy of Jesus

Introduction There seems to have been a big increase recently in people tracing their family history. I think those programmes on TV where famous people have researchers who do all the work have helped to increase the popularity. I’ve sometimes thought about trying to do it but I think it’s time ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17

Denomination: Methodist

Advent Jigsaw

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 3, 2008

A sermon for dvent Sunday intruducing the themes of Advent

I suppose I should start the sermon this morning by wishing you all ’Happy New Year.’ But before you think that I’ve completely blown it, let me explain – at least for those who weren’t here last Sunday evening. Today is new year – not that we’ve fast forwarded to Jan 1; not is it Chinese New Year ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44

Denomination: Methodist

Protectiing Creation

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Oct 11, 2007

A Harvest Sermon on the theme of protection our God given environment

Creation is a tremendous mystery. You can begin to understand what a wonderful mystery creation is when you get asked a question like ’Where did God come from?’ Now an obvious answer to that question is ’well, God didn’t come from anywhere, he has always been here.’ Then you read the opening words ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

When Your World Is Shaken

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Sep 25, 2007

A short sermon preached as part of a broadcast on BBC Radio for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Today is one of those days. A day when you look at the gospel reading and wish that you weren’t preaching, or that you could roll over in bed and go back to sleep. The gospel for today is about the end times. It’s quite frightening stuff really with those images of nation against nation, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:5-19

Denomination: Methodist

The Miracle Of Sharing

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Sep 25, 2007

A short sermon for a Harvest Festival Service broadcast on BBC Radio

Since moving to Rhos on Sea as minister of the Methodist Church two years ago one of the things that Janet and myself keep saying is that we’ll go out on one of the fishing trips that leave from the small harbour where we began our service. The fact that we get sea sick on a mill pond doesn’t ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21

Denomination: Methodist